A former police officer who was facing charges for indecently assaulting a child has been found deceased. Simon Knott, aged 57, was accused of offenses dating back to 1990 involving two females, one of whom was under 14 years old. Knott, previously associated with Devon and Cornwall Police, was scheduled to appear in court on March 19 but the hearing was unexpectedly removed from the docket on March 18.
Following the discovery of Knott’s body at his residence in Ogwell, Newton Abbot, the legal case against him has been dropped. The charges he faced included indecent assault on minors and sexual assault on a female. The court proceedings that were initially set for March 19 were adjourned to Taunton Magistrates’ Court in Somerset for further investigation by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).
Devon and Cornwall Police confirmed that Knott was due to face charges for incidents occurring between 1990 and 2013, which were reported to the authorities in 2024. His passing on March 17 was deemed non-suspicious, and the police are cooperating with the coroner in their inquiries. The case against Knott was formally discontinued during a hearing on March 23 at Taunton Deane and West Somerset Magistrates’ Court.
Notably, the allegations against Knott were related to off-duty incidents and were not associated with his duties as a police officer. The police force has informed the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) due to Knott’s prior interactions with law enforcement. Emergency services responded to a welfare concern at Knott’s residence, where his body was found, and his death was later confirmed as non-suspicious.
Knott had served at various police stations throughout his career, including locations in Plymouth, Camborne, Newquay, Torquay, Chudleigh, and Redruth.